The overwhelming majority of people on the planet are merely existing, not genuinely living. 

They go to work, go home, pay the bills, and have the occasional meal out. 

They operate to exist and survive on a day-to-day basis–which is fine if you want to live an average life and the same life as 95% of people. 

But if you want more, consider it time to start changing things up. 

After all, you don’t want to be sitting on a rocking chair in a few decades (or years), regretting your past, wishing you had done more, and lived with more ambition and meaning. 

I’m here to help. 

In this article, I’ll take you through the habits of those who live long and purposeful lives. 

It’s never too late to start making changes. 

Let’s get to it! 

1) Regular physical activity 

This certainly isn’t the first time you’ve heard this: the benefits of exercise are boundless. 

If you feel like you’ve been in a rut, try to assess your situation. 

Have you been regularly active and mobile? 

Or are you on the couch or your desk all day, remaining sedentary, except for the occasional jaunt to the fridge and bathroom?

If the latter is the case, then consider it time to start making a few changes to your fitness routine. 

If you find going to the gym and hopping on a treadmill to be tedious, actively look for something you find more appealing, whether it’s yoga, a sport, going on long walks or hikes, and so on. 

Once you start making the transition and become more fit, you’ll feel a palpable, almost mind-blowing difference in your mood. 

Exercise not only improves your physical health drastically, but you’ll feel better mentally and emotionally too. 

So if you haven’t already, get moving and start releasing those endorphins.

2) Having a balanced diet 

When it comes to changing your life, it’s the little things that always go a long way. 

Your diet matters a lot… something that becomes more and more relevant the older you get. 

Don’t wait to get ill to make a few changes. 

Sure, enjoy the occasional indulgence but don’t make chicken nuggets and sugary cereal your status quo. 

Strive for balance.

Eat a variety of whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. 

Consume foods that can provide essential nutrients and reduce your risk of chronic diseases. 

Respect your body by being mindful of what you put into it. You got this. 

3) Getting quality sleep 

Never neglect to get quality sleep in. 

There’s a reason your doctor will tell you to rest and get sleep when you’re feeling sick… sleep is your body’s time to repair and rejuvenate from stress and pain. 

Not only do you feel great after a full night of sleep (7 to 9 hours) but your overall health and cognitive functions soar. 

Have you ever tried to go to work when you’re sleep-deprived? 

Minor tasks become exponentially more challenging. 

Like everything else, when it comes to sleep routines, seek balance. 

Don’t oversleep either… or you’ll wake up groggy and demotivated with many valuable hours of the day wasted. 

4) Creating strong social connections 

When it comes to living well, remember, nobody is an island. 

Having meaningful relationships, be it platonic or romantic, or both, counts for a whole lot. 

Just knowing there are people you can turn to during times of distress is powerful in itself. 

Being lonely and isolated is no way to live, even if you think you enjoy it. 

I’ve known people who were so solitary that they tragically passed away alone in their homes, with nobody aware of it for weeks.

It doesn’t have to be this way. 

Having regular contact with friends and family will always go a long way. 

Having social connections can provide you with emotional support, reduce stress, and even improve your physical health.  

If you don’t have friends or family at your disposal, get creative. 

Join a club, join a community with like-minded folk, do volunteer work, and network there. 

When it comes to making new connections, there is no shortage of possibilities. 

So get out there and start making relationships.  

5) Continuous learning

After a certain age, many people are just content to stop learning. 

Maybe they’re tired, or feel they know all they need to. 

But this is a slippery slope. 

When your mind isn’t sufficiently stimulated for prolonged periods, your cognitive abilities and sense of purpose are at risk of declining. 

Keep your mind busy and active through learning and pursuing new hobbies. 

We live in a vast world, with fresh lessons and information at every corner, don’t be content confining yourself. 

Learn a new language or an instrument, read, travel to exotic locations and immerse yourself with the locals—the ball is in your court. 

6) Practicing gratitude  

In case you haven’t noticed, we are living through the golden age of comparisons. 

A quick browse through social media will reveal friends, acquaintances, and strangers, seemingly living their best lives for all of us to see… and seethe with envy. 

Getting jealous and wanting what they have (and what we don’t) can consume you if you’re already in that mindset. 

There are people out there with extraordinary wealth who are miserable. 

Meanwhile, some people barely make minimum wage and are joyous. 

Change your perspective and a whole new reality will open up to you. 

You can do this by regularly reflecting on what you’re grateful for, rather than being caught up with comparing your situation to others. 

Having gratitude for the good things in your life will increase happiness, reduce stress, and promote a more optimistic outlook on life. 

7) Purposeful living 

Watching Netflix all day isn’t living with purpose. 

Watching the paint dry isn’t living with purpose. 

Even going to the office, paying the bills, eating, getting drunk on Friday, and not much else isn’t genuinely living with purpose. 

Start pursuing things that are inherently meaningful to both you and other people, be it through volunteering, personal projects, or setting goals. 

Get out a pen and paper and start jotting down a few goals you can work towards daily. 

Chip away at your progress. 

Celebrate your wins, both big and small. 

Your time on the planet is finite, make each day more meaningful than the last.